Intel
Corporation has confirmed that its Intel-Micron Flash Technologies
(IMFT) co-venture has begun mass production of their
breakthrough 25nm NAND flash memory. Intel has already started
shipping the new chips in volume to its customers.

Intel and Micron
are both expected to use NAND flash chips from the 25nm node in a new
generation of solid state drives. Intel is also working on a new NAND
flash controller that will support ONFI 2.2 and new capacities,
with 300GB and 600GB models expected. Support for 6Gbps SATA is
also likely, but has not yet been confirmed. Indilinx's
next-generation Jet
Stream controller is also supposed to support the new
chips.

IMFT's 64Gb (8GB) NAND chip measures just
167mm2 and can hold up to 2,000 songs, 7,000 photos or 8 hours of
video. Demand for NAND flash memory is expected to grow
significantly in the next few years thanks to devices like the iPad
and smartphones, which rely on NAND storage. SSDs, USB flash
drives, and higher capacity SDXC memory cards for camcorders and
cameras will also cause increased demand.

The smaller size
allows IMFT to essentially double the capacity of its flash chips at
a minimal cost. Intel cut
its SSD prices by 60% when it introduced 34nm production in
July of last year.

The whole NAND flash industry is set to
evolve this year. Hynix is preparing for mass production of 26nm NAND
in July, while Toshiba and SanDisk are planning 24nm production of
3-bit-per-cell MLC flash. Mass production will begin at the end
of the year at Fab 4, their latest 300mm wafer fabrication
facility at Toshiba's Yokkaichi Operations in Mie Prefecture,
Japan.

Samsung has been talking a lot about its "20nm-class"
NAND, but the reality is that they will trail the rest of the
competition at the 27nm node. The worldwide NAND market leader is
shipping low volumes of those chips for slower-speed commodity SD
cards.

Micron addressed the issue in a statement earlier this
year; ''While there may be differences in terms of the process
technology itself, they are fundamentally all '20nm-class' NAND flash
technologies. Therefore the key differentiator is when volume
production commences".

''Another
good measure of the effectiveness of the new technology is density
and package size. For example, Micron's 25-nm 64-Gb (8GB) MLC NAND
fits in an industry standard 12-mm by 20-mm TSOP. Finally it's
important to look at whether the new technology can be sold to
customers in raw NAND form, or whether it needs to be shipped behind
a controller, e.g. in a flash card or a USB drive. Micron's 25nm
technology has been qualified in raw NAND form by numerous customers
serving a wide variety of applications.''

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